The project has been working on developing a reliable supply chain, capacity building, skill, research and technology, market development and scaling up, and the replication of best practices in bamboo sector development. It has been striving to develop and strengthen the pro-poor industry and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) value chains to help create inclusive job opportunities, improve livelihoods and empower communities in the implementation countries. In so doing, it has continued building the capacity of smallholders, enterprise employees and owners, and government technical experts. In the first semester of 2022, the project conducted 21 skill development training for 475 beneficiaries, and 11 SMEs were supported with tools to enhance their production efficiency. It has been providing hand-holding support to 2396 households for the making of bamboo charcoal briquettes in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda. The project has also completed four technical and vocational education and training curriculums on bamboo, comprising teaching, training, and learning materials in Ethiopia, while the same task is in progress in Kenya and Uganda.
Restoration and sustainable management of bamboo resources is another pillar of progress, the project procured 100 kg bamboo seeds from India and distributed them to 12 nurseries in Kenya and Uganda. It has also been providing technical support to 24 small nurseries, and 2.75 million quality planting materials are now ready for plantation. Site-species matching studies of Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda are completed and the study from Ethiopia has been published in a scientific journal. Capacity-building activities have been conducted on nursery management, sustainable harvesting, and clumps management. Also, four Transfer Of Technology courses were delivered for the 152 line department officials on nursery development and management and nine community-level smallholders training benefited 393 participants.
The bamboo carbon credit initiative in collaboration with Climate Impact UK and Face the Future Netherlands is progressing in Uganda, and site selection has now been finalized in the Agago district of the country.
With regards to enhancing the business and trade environment of beneficiary countries, the project has been providing support in the adoption and ratification of national and international bamboo standards. Accordingly, seven product standards have been ratified in Ethiopia on bamboo curtain, bamboo charcoal generalities, bamboo charcoal fuel application, bamboo charcoal purification application, bamboo flooring indoor uses, and bamboo structures. The project has also been working on the establishment of “bamboo depots” as a multi-product supply chain for linkages with the SMEs and industries and to integrate all actors to reduce inefficiencies in the existing value chains. The multi-supply chain has been linked with primary and secondary cooperatives. During the period five new cooperatives have been registered with the involvement of 750 beneficiaries.
Moreover, bamboo associations for the private sectors of the beneficiary countries have been supported. Accordingly, the bamboo associations of Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda are now operational with five-year strategic plans and independent offices, and public communications websites.
